What is a first aider appointment letter?
Most workplaces rely on a handful of employees who agree to be the first aider or fire warden. When the role is only a name on a noticeboard, nobody is sure who checks the kits, when certificates run out, or whether the allowance is still being paid. An appointment letter answers all of that.
This letter appoints the employee as first aider, fire warden, or both, for the area and shifts you name, reporting to your health and safety contact. The duties change with the role you choose: first aid within training, protective items and records; or sweeping the area, guiding people out and checking escape routes. It confirms the company pays for training during working time, sets the renewal rule, and offers an optional allowance in your currency. It names where kits and equipment are, how often they are checked and where incidents are recorded. It also offers support after serious incidents, makes clear the employee is not expected to go beyond their training, and lets either side end the role with notice. The employee signs to accept.
- Best for
- Offices, shops, warehouses, schools, any workplace with appointed first aiders
- Signed by
- The employer, and the employee to accept the role
- Roles
- First aider, fire warden, or both
- Length
- 2 pages
When to use a first aider appointment letter
- Appointing a new first aider after someone leaves
- Naming fire wardens for each floor of an office
- One person covering both roles in a small business
- Recording an allowance for holding a current first aid certificate
- Night shift cover in a warehouse or care setting
What you fill in
18 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: employer, employee.
1 The appointment
- Company name*
- Date of the letter*
- Employee's full name*
- Employee's usual job title
- Appointed as* first aider · fire warden · first aider and fire warden
- Appointment starts*
- Area and shifts covered*
- Reports to (health and safety contact)*
2 Training
- Training course*
- Training completed or booked for (optional)
- Refresher and renewal*
3 Allowance
- Allowance (optional)
- Currency
- Allowance paid per month · per year · per pay period
4 Equipment and records
- First aid kits and equipment*
- How often to check kits and equipment*
- Where incidents are recorded*
- Notice to step down from the role (days)*
5 Who signs
- Employer signature and date, job title · The manager or health and safety lead making the appointment.
- Employee signature and date · The employee being appointed. They sign to accept the role.
What the first aider appointment letter covers
- Your duties
- Training
- Allowance
- Equipment and records
- Support
- Stepping down
- Acceptance
Using the first aider appointment letter, step by step
1 The appointment
Your company name and today's date fill in automatically. Add the employee, choose first aider, fire warden or both, and set the start date, area and shifts covered, and who they report to.
2 Training
Name the training course, add the training date if known, and set the renewal rule.
3 Allowance and equipment
Add an allowance if you pay one, then say where kits and equipment are, how often they are checked and where incidents are recorded.
4 Notice and acceptance
Set the notice period to step down, then send. The employee signs to accept, and the letter is filed in your FileIt vault, a good place to track certificate expiry too.
Tips before you send it
- Check how many first aiders and fire wardens local rules or your risk assessment require for your size and shifts.
- Make sure holidays and shift patterns do not leave an area without cover.
- Track certificate expiry dates and book refreshers in good time.
- Debrief appointed staff after any serious incident.
Sign it online in minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. FileIt builds the PDF with every signature, date box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in your vault and emailed to everyone.
First aider appointment letter: frequently asked questions
Is the role compulsory?
No. The letter describes it as voluntary. The employee can step down with the notice you set, and the company can end it the same way, or straight away if the certificate lapses.
Do the duties change for a fire warden?
Yes. Choose the role and the matching duties list appears: first aid duties, fire warden duties, or a combined list for both.
Is an allowance required?
No. The allowance section only appears when you enter an amount.
Is the employee expected to fight fires?
No. The letter says the fire warden helps people leave safely and uses an extinguisher only if trained and it is safe.